Hendon Publishing - Article Archive Details

2011 Forensic Hit List

Written by Jennifer Gavigan

Today’s forensic technology clearly aids investigators in solving cases, tools that include mobile technology such as fingerprint biometric solutions in the field.The following are some of the latest and most advanced forensic solutions from industry leaders.

CSI Mapping’s SceneWorks® is the name given to encompass its forensic system. The system is comprised of SceneCam, a 360-degree spherical (or panoramic) digital camera and SceneCenter Forensic, which is the post-processing software.

The camera captures at 50 megapixels and is High Dynamic Range (HDR). This means SceneCenter Forensic has the capability to take measurements from an image pair. An image pair includes two images taken from the same location that are 60 cm apart in height. This way SceneCenter Forensic can compare the two images and using photogrammetry, can calculate an accurate measurement.

What is unique about this system is it’s easy to use. If a user can read the screen, he can capture an image. SceneCenter Forensic utilizes drag-and-drop technology and simple text editors while still creating a powerful walk-through of any scene.

BIO-key is introducing FMID (Fingerprint Mobile Identification Device) technology for the Apple iPad and iPhone; referred to as “iFMID.” Bio-Key develops and delivers advanced identification solutions to commercial and government enterprises, integrators and custom application developers.

BIO-key’s award-winning, biometric finger identification technology accurately identifies and authenticates users of wireless and enterprise applications. Its solutions are used in local embedded OEM products as well as some of the world’s largest identification deployments to improve security, guarantee identity, and help reduce identity theft.

FMID is a fingerprint reader device that attaches to, or wraps around the iPad or iPhone and was developed to offer fingerprint authentication and identification solutions in mobile environments. FMID technology is available on the WinMobile platform and can also be used on certain Android phones such as the ES400 and Atrix; a fully integrated Android solution will be available before the end of the year.

The FBI Next Generation ID System uses BIO-key’s award-winning software, which tested fastest and most accurate. Now with iFMID there are no limitations to proving identify and accessing enterprise applications. Using FMID technology could potentially increase the performance and timeliness of future forensic investigations.

FMID technology was developed by BIO-key pending acquisition partner Canadian-based software and hardware developer S.I.C. Biometrics. S.I.C. was contacted by Apple in 2009 and asked to develop a fingerprint app for the iPhone. After extensive research and development, they furthered the development to include the iPad and in 2011 S.I.C. launched FMID. “Today’s advanced mobile devices have significant security capabilities when they are paired with the proper devices and applications. BIO-key software enhances each fingerprint 43 times to extract over 2,100 points of data using vector segment technology. It’s the VST technology that generates world-class speed and accuracy when processing the fingerprint template,” said Scott Mahnken VP Marketing, BIO-key International, Inc.

One of the most powerful handheld solid-state forensic lights in the industry has just doubled its output. The UltraLite ALS® from CAO Group is now the UltraLite ALS® Turbo. Through the use of light interaction techniques, it helps in the detection of trace evidence, body fluids, fingerprints, blood spatter, gunshot residues and explosive accelerants.

These substances may otherwise be difficult to detect against background materials allowing evidence to remain unseen. It can reveal subcutaneous bruising, injuries and wounds on bodies living and dead, and assist in the location of evidence containing DNA. Doubling the output power means greater levels of evidence visualization.

The UltraLite ALS Turbo features Blue-Merge Technology (BMT™) Turbo. It is proven that shorter wavelengths such as 450 nm are more useful in body fluids, teeth and bone fragments, bite marks and bruise work, while longer wavelengths such as 480 nm are more useful in finding trace evidence and fingerprint work.

BMT mixes a unique profile of forensic wavelengths to produce the perfect blend. With the BMT light, users only need to go over the scene or evidence one time with one filter to complete 99.5 percent of evidence detection, collection and documentation work.

The UltraLite ALS in BMT Turbo produces over 2000 milliwatts of power. In addition, it produces more blue wavelength output power than any other semiconductor-based ALS.

Each unit has an output intensity selector button that allows users to select 500 mw, 1000 mw, 1500 mw and 2000 mw. The UltraLite ALS Turbo represents the smallest, lightest weight forensic light system in the world. The UltraLite ALS® Turbo is a small fraction of the cost of other ALS systems and forensic laser systems.All of the new Turbo Heads are compatible with all of the existing UltraLite ALS handles, batteries, chargers, filters and other accessories.

3M Cogent’s Mugshot System (CMS) provides a Web-based, service-oriented, modular mugshot photo investigative tool for law enforcement agencies. With its user-friendly navigation, users can easily create and edit lineups, mug books, and booking records. Law enforcement agencies can securely access the CMS database and search for suspects immediately from the crime scene or patrol car through a standard Web browser; no dedicated software is needed.

Running on a commercially available backend server, CMS uses a NIST standard interface that seamlessly integrates with 3M Cogent’s products, third-party AFISes and LiveScan systems. CMS lets the user search for candidates using a list of basic criteria or through an advanced query tool, providing a high degree of flexibility to conduct searches. Lineups can be viewed on-screen or printed, while mug books can be viewed on-screen securely through a “witness mode.” CMS also allows the user to create suspect records, wanted posters and investigation activity logging.

3M Cogent features a full range of 500 and 1,000 ppi resolution FBI-certified LiveScan palm print and tenprint scanners that are robust yet cost effective. The high-definition optics allow the capture of forensic-quality rolled or flat images that meet the ANSI/NIST and FBI Image Quality Specification (IQS) standards. The easy-to-use software guides the user through the capture process with on-screen prompts.

The data entry process is simplified through the use of drop-down menus for selecting descriptive information such as race, sex, hair color and eye color. With real-time image quality check, sequence verification, auto-center and auto-contrast functions, the 3M Cogent LiveScan capture software ensures the capture of high-quality prints. Available in portable, desktop and full cabinet configurations, the scanners can easily be incorporated into various applications such as applicant fingerprint processing, border control or inmate booking.

Dell announced in April 2011 that law enforcement and intelligence forensics teams can now easily access and collect digital evidence through the company’s innovative new Mobile Digital Forensics solution. Building on Dell’s original Digital Forensics solution for parallel processing of digital evidence, the new solution adds a mobile capability that can automatically and securely examine data in triage mode at the scene of the crime, allowing for the efficient analysis of time-sensitive, actionable information.

To avoid delays in evidence collection, the new solution uses the latest technology to provide quick and secure identification of evidence on PCs, laptops and mobile phones (including MAC OS and Linux), both volatile memory and hard drives, USB sticks and other external memory devices, and satellite navigation systems.

Investigative organizations typically remove devices such as computers, phones, USB devices and other digital devices from a crime scene in order to properly analyze the information stored on them. The Mobile Digital Forensics solution now allows on-site investigation of any digital storage device using one piece of technology.

Dell’s end-to-end mobile digital forensics solution, the SPEKTOR, allows law enforcement officers to gather and prioritize digital information from phones, computers, gaming consoles and other digital devices to be used as digital evidence. The back-end solution, Dell’s Digital Forensics solution, then processes, stores and analyzes that information in an efficient and evidentiary sound manner.

The Dell Digital Forensics Solution offers a single-user interface to a suite of computer forensic applications and a single repository for simultaneous parallel processing of digital evidence. This simplifies the imaging, sharing, and archiving of data across experts and teams, and establishes a clear process for secure electronic information exchange.

Additionally, the solution enables secure remote analysis and review of evidence, offering authorities the freedom to go where the investigation takes them. The Dell Digital Forensics Solution integrates server and storage hardware, software and services designed to process and store digital forensic data while protecting the security and integrity of that data throughout its life cycle.

The key to the success of this solution is the centralized data management of evidence. All the functions of digital forensics, including storage, analysis, access, search and archiving, become simpler and more cost effective by collecting and managing the data in a central location.

Sirchie Fingerprint Laboratories is a comprehensive manufacturer and distributor of crime scene investigation and forensic evidence collection supplies. The company’s products are used by law enforcement agencies around the world to identify, collect, record, analyze, evaluate and archive physical evidence.

Sirchie’s new KSSLABKAM laboratory video-based RUVIS (Reflected Ultraviolet Imaging System) capture system harnesses the power of RUVIS technology in a laboratory setting. This latest innovation from Sirchie serves as the next generation of RUVIS technology in the laboratory. It simplifies the viewing of evidence and saving the image into one simple process. The latent examiner can now have the image exactly as desired without needing to hire separate a photographer.

KSSLABKAM integrates the technology of Sirchie’s Krimesite™ Imager into a digital video system that allows the user to find and capture latent print images of superior quality. The system features a digital video feed in a true gray scale, and allows images to be captured in a variety of formats, RAW, TIFF, JPG and BMP. The built-in camera greatly simplifies the process of capturing images and works seamlessly with the included software to give WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) images.

KSSLABKAM comes complete with a desktop PC with capture software included. The software is user-friendly, allowing the operator to easily sit or stand in front of the evidence and start looking for latent prints minutes after setup. The software can be loaded on other PCs to permit anyone to view the captured images. The capture software also includes a “note field” for each image that can be saved as a text file, enabling case notes to be added for each save. Image and notes are tied together within a file for efficient documentation and storage.

KSSLABKAM includes additional features such as two 13-watt shortwave light sources on flexible arms so users can get the correct light angle without having to hold anything; an easy-to-manipulate column that can be changed in seconds with one hand to precisely increase or decrease the lens to subject distance for switching between flat and three-dimensional evidence; and a matte black base that is engraved with a 28cm x 30cm grid to facilitate proper evidence placement and give a built-in scale for image capture.

Jennifer Gavigan has been writing about cutting-edge topics in the field of law enforcement for LAW and ORDER for more than eight years. She can be reached at jgavigan@hendonpub.com.